MOORPARK, Calif. -- Powerful winds lashed California Wednesday, feeding a fast-moving wildfire that destroyed dozens of homes and burned thousands of acres in Ventura County, forcing hundreds of residents to flee.

A second blaze burned near multimillion-dollar properties along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu as forecasters warned of the potential for "extreme and life-threatening" blazes.

Northwest of Los Angeles, the Mountain Fire exploded in size and prompted evacuation orders for suburban communities, ranches and agricultural areas near Santa Paula in southern Ventura County. A thick plume of smoke rose hundreds of feet into the sky, blanketing whole neighborhoods and limiting visibility for firefighters and evacuees.

At around 9:15 a.m. the blaze was mapped at just under 250 acres. By 3 p.m. it was well above 10,000 acres.